Luggage racks with a lowerable shell are at present used in particular in passenger aircraft, as they advantageously permit optimal utilization of space and at the same time a high level of operating convenience. The lowerable shell is pivotable from an upper closed position, in which optimal headroom for the passengers seated under the luggage racks is guaranteed, into a lower open loading and unloading position. Even relatively small people can easily deposit items of luggage in the shell and remove them from the shell in the loading and unloading position.
In the case of luggage racks which are currently used in passenger aircraft the lowerable shell is borne so as to be pivotable relative to a luggage rack housing in the region of two side walls lying opposite one another. A bearing device for mounting the lowerable shell in the luggage rack housing comprises a bearing bush which is formed in one piece with a base plate. The base plate of the bearing bush is fastened to an inner surface of a side wall of the luggage rack housing which faces the lowerable shell by means of three screws. A bearing bolt, which is intended to be accommodated in the bearing bush, extends through an opening which is formed in a side wall of the lowerable shell. A base plate, which is formed in one piece with the bearing bolt, is fastened to an inner surface of the side wall of the lowerable shell which is remote from the luggage rack housing by means of three screws, similarly to the base plate formed in one piece with the bearing bush. In order to ensure that the interior of the lowerable shell is visually attractive, the bearing bolt base plate is covered by means of a correspondingly shaped cover plate.
The bearing bush must firstly be screwed to the side wall of the luggage rack housing when the lowerable shell is mounted in the luggage rack housing. In the next step the lowerable shell must be raised into the desired position and the bearing bolt introduced into the bearing bush through the opening which is formed in the side wall of the lowerable shell. It is then necessary to screw home the three screws for fastening the bearing bolt base plate to the side wall of the lowerable shell. Finally, the cover plate for covering the bearing bolt base plate must also be fitted. Dismounting of the lowerable shell requires the same steps in the reverse direction. Both mounting and dismounting of the lowerable luggage rack shell are consequently relatively complicated and are carried out using many loose individual parts. Furthermore, a relatively large cover plate is required to cover the bearing bolt base plate disposed in the interior of the lowerable shell.
The object of the invention is to provide a device for rotatably bearing an aircraft interior fitting component, in particular a lowerable shell of a luggage rack, which enables the aircraft interior fitting component to be quickly and easily mounted in an aircraft The invention is also directed towards the object of providing a luggage rack equipped with a bearing device of this kind as well as a method for mounting an aircraft interior fitting component, in particular a lowerable shell of a luggage rack, in an aircraft which can be carried out quickly and easily.